Methyl silicones and related products



Oct. 7, 1941. E. G. ROCHOW 2,258,218

METHYL SILICONES AND RELATED PRQDUCTS Filed Aug. 1, 1939 CONDUCTOR INSULATION COMPRISING POLYMER/C METHYL SILICONE CONDUCTOR INSULATION COMI 'RISING FIBROUS MATERIAL COATED AND IMPREGNATED WITH POLYMER/C METHYL SILICONE Hi5 Attorneg.

, (Kipping and Pink, J. C.

Patented Oct. 7,

METHYL SILICONES AND PRODUCTS Schenectady, N. in, sliml- Eugene G. Rochow,

to General Electric Company, a corporation or New York Application August II 1939, Serial No. 287,787 20 Claims. (Cl. 174-121) This invention relates to new compositions of matter, their preparation and use. More particularly it is concerned with new and useful polymeric bodies comprising chemical compounds oi silicon, oiwgen and at least one methyl group attached directly to silicon. These polymeric bodies may be defined more specifically as polymers oi methyl silicone and or related compounds in which the methyl groups are replaced in part by oxygen. I

I have discovered that the heretofore unknown methyl silicone can be obtained in the form of stable polymeric bodies having characcone has a unit structure,

which in the high molecular aggregate may have chain endings such as hereinafter described. Related compositions in which the methyl groups are replaced in part by oxygen would give rise to the unit structure which, in its polymeric forms, or in combination with the first-named unit structure gives rise to a series of polymeric substances of varying properties.

The polymeric bodies of this invention are unique in that they have no carbon-to-carbon bonds and therefore are free from the type of thermal decomposition which initiates in the rupture of a carbon-to-carbon bond. Inmarked contrast previously known silioones, specifically ethyl silicone (Kipping' and Martin, Journal of the Chemical Societ 95, 302), propyl silicone (Kipping and Meads, J1 C. 8., 107. 459), phenyl silicone (Ripping and Martin, J. C. S., 101, 2108, 2121, 2125), benzyi silicone (Kipping and Robinson, J. C. s., 101, 2142, 2156) and tolyl silicone 8., 123, 2830), all have i 'zarbon-to-carbon linkages within their strucure.

I may use any suitable method for preparing these new compounds of silicon, oxygen and the methyl group. For example, I may hydrolyze a methyl silicon halide, for instance methyl silicon chloride, bromide or iodide, and dehydrate the resulting hydroxy ,product. I prefer to use methyl silicon chlorides as starting materials for preparing the hydroxy compounds.

In order that those skilled in the art better may understand how the pment invention may ate condensation be carried into eflect, examples are given:

Example 1 (A) An ether solution of 1.75 mols of methyl magnesium bromide is added slowly and with rapid stirring to an ether solution containing 1 moi of silicon tetrachloride, the latter solution being cooled to minus 20 C. or lower prior to the addition 01' the former. The solution of methyl magnesium, bromide is added at such rate, and the reaction mixture so cooled, that the temperature or the mixture does not rise above about 0 C. Preferably the reaction mixture is maintained at minus 20' C. or lower.

Since the amount of methyl magnesium bromide employed is insuiiicient to convert all the silicon tetrachloride to the dimethyl derivative, there is formed a mixture of monoand dimethyl silicon chlorides. thus:

CHsMIBr+SICIc CHsSiCb+MgBICI CHsM3Br+CH:SiCls-* (CH3) zSlClz-i-MgBrCl Probably a smaller amount of trimethyl silicon chloride also is formed:

the following illustrative CH3MgBr+ (CI-Ia) zSiC12- (CH.1) aSiCl-i-MgBrCl These hydroxy compounds readily condense with loss 01 water to form initial and intermediproducts. These products are ether-soluble and are collected by separating the ether layer. After washing free of acid, the ether solution is concentrated to obtain a viscous liquid suitable for adhesive and surface-coating applications. This viscous liquid may be further condensed and polymerized by suitably heating. for example at to 200 0., to form bodies 01' desired flexibility and hardness. In many cases it is advantageous to advance the condensation and polymerization of the liquid substance by heating it in situ,'that is, in the position of its ultimate use.

When the liquid reaction above described produced in this way has-a density 1.19 grams per cubic centimeter and a reiractive index oi 1.423. An analysis of this polymer showed it to contain 23.05% carbon, 6.02% hydrogen, 38.10% silicon and 32.83% oxygen, from which the average number of methyl groups per silicon atom may be calculated as 1.41. It has'a dielectric constant of 3.7 at 26 and 3.6 at 56 C. Its power factor at 60 cycles is 0.008 at 26 C. and 0.0045 at 56 C. It is insoluble in water, alcohol. slycol, carbon tetrachloride and bromonaphthalene. It is difllcult to ignite and burns slowly, leaving a white siliceous ash. It may be heated to 200 C. in air for several days without 1 discoloration, melting, or any discernible change except some embrittlement. At 300 C. luck it oxidizes and disintegrates in 24 hours, but it heated in vacuo it may be taken to 550 C. for 20 hours without disintegration or any other change except yellowing. During such heating in vacuo water vapor is released above 200 C., showing that condensation continues to take place.

The polymeric methyl silicone produced as described above diilers from the silicones previously described in the chemical literature not only in composition, but also in character of the solid body obtained. It is thermosetting to a degree unknown in other silicons. It becomes infusible when heated, for example as above set forth, and

retains its shape even at 550 C. in vacuo. The

solid polymer is clear, colorless and non-sticky, as opposed to the brown, glue-like phenyl silicone polymers which typify the earlier known sllicones.

While the structure of this horny polymer is not completely understood, I believe it to be es- 1 sentially a network of silicon-oxygen chains in which the methyl groups are linked to the silicon atoms. Thus when dimethyl silicol condenses the reaction probably proceeds thus: 2 oHmsi(omfino-sl oni),-osl cm)ion+n,o; 3(CHi)gSi(OE)g- HO-Bi(OHflr-O-BKCHsh-O-Si(CHs)s0H+ ZHIO; etc.

o! thelinearchains. Theseiactors conveniently maybevariedbychanslnltheproporticns o1 reactingsubstancesasdeacribedintheiollowinl V examples.

Example ,2

'the reactions given under A of Example 1.

(B) The cold ethereal solution is poured upon cracked ice to hydrolyae the methyl silicon chlorides as described under-B of Example 1. The ether-soluble products are separated from the water and washed free of acid. This ether Such chains of alternate Si and O atoms may be terminated, for example, by an OH group, which may react further, or by an .-Sl(C' H3)3 group, which is unable to react further:

Wherever the -S1(OH)3 grouping enters the chain, the possibility of cross links becomes evident:

n This permits a network structure through further condensation:

the extent of this cross-linking and the length 75 change.

solution 0! hydroxy compounds and their initial and intermediate condensation products may be used in this form for application as an adhesive. or it may beconcentrated by evaporation ol the ether at room temperature.

(C) Further condensation is allowed to take place, when desired, at temperatures between 20 and C. At 20 C. the evaporation of the solvent deposits a sticky mass. This mass hardens over a period of several days into a hard. brittle solid. At temperatures a proaching 100 C. the condensation reaction takes place rapidly, yielding a hard, brittle, glassy solid withinanhour. 'Ihissubstanceisinmsibleandis insoluble in water and the common organic solvents. An analysis of a typical polymer produced in this way showed 18.55% carbon, 458% hydrogen, 40.10% silicon and 38.77% ongen, from which the average number of methyl groups per silicon atom may be calculated as 1.08.

According to the theory of probable stnicture which I have outlined above, this solid polymer may be composed of a highly cross-linked network of silicon and oxygen atoms with an average of approximately one methyl group per silicon atom:

Example 3 (A) Twoto2 molsoiCHfllgBrareadded slowly to a cold ethereal solution of 1 mol of SiCli as described under the above examples. The principal product is dimethyl silicon dichloride, although the monoand h'i-methyl derivatives undoubtedly are formed in smaller amounts.

(8) The reaction mixture is hydrolysed as in the preceding examples. The hydroxy compounds and their initialand intermediate eondensation products are collected in an ether layer, washed free of acid, and separated from. ether by distilling oi! the latter at 36' C. Removal of the ether leaves an oily liquid which loses water on further heating but does not become solid.

(C) The oily liquid of B when heated at an elevated temperature for, a prolonged period. for example at C. for 4 hours in air, sets to a sort, somewhat rubbery gel. This gel is insoluble in common organic solvents, is inrusible, and may be heated to 260' C. without apparent normal dimethyl silicons points of variation intentionally being brought .cause of its I following are cited:

produced as described under the are essentially variations of the and its polymers, the

Compositions above xamples about in order to vary the properties of the product and to render it useful for particular service applications. The term methyl silicone as used generally herein and in the appended claims therefore is intended to include within its meaning chemical compounds, specifically condense tion products and polymers of varying molecular weight, composed essentially of silicon, oxygen and at least one methyl group attached directly to silicon. The methyl group or groups may be attached to any or all (preferably to all) of the silicon atoms contained in the molecule. Ordinarily, the polymer will have in its molecule an average of approximately one to approximately two methyl groups for each silicon atom. A product having a wide variety of applications hewith inorganic fillers and fibers such as asbestos, mica, glass fiber, and the like, to produce a composite insulation capable of withstanding higher temperatures than would be possible with the use of organic binders. This in turn permits the design of electrical machinery for operation at higher temperatures.

As illustrative examples of how methyl silicones may be used in the field of insulation, the

A liquid coating composition comprising partly polymerized methyl silicone and a volatile solvent may be applied to a metallic conductor such as copper wire, which thereafter is heated to vaporize the solvent and to continue or complete the polymerization of the siliconefi'n situ. In some cases it may be desirabl to wrap the conductor with a fibrous material such as asbestos, glass fibers, cotton or paper before treating with the solution. A further procedure is to coat and at least partly impregnate the wrapped conductor with methyl silicone, wind the thus insulated conductorinto th desired coil, and then heat the wound coil to complete the polymerization of the silicone. In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 represents a cross-sectional view of a metallic conductor provided with insulation comprising polymeric methyl silicone; and Fig. 2 shows a similar view of a metallic conductor provided with insulation comprising fibrous material coated and impregnated with poly- 'meric methyl silicone.

Sheet insulation may be woven or felted organic or paper with methyl silicone. Sheet insulation also may be prepared by binding fiaky inorganic substances with polymeric methyl silicone. Certain of these silicones efi'ectively wet and bond mica and advantageously may be used in the production of laminated mica products comprising mica fiakes cemented and bonded together with the silicone. Polymeric methyl silicone having in its prepared by treating inorganic fabrics or resistance. They are particular combination of properties duction.

molecule an average of approximately 1 to approximately 1.5 methyl groups per silicon atom is especially suitable for this purpose. Mica products made withv a methyl silicone binder have a high dielectric strength and outstanding heat able to withstand temperatures of the order of 250 to 300 0. without intumescence or separation of the binder from the mica flakes.

Self-supporting coherent films or sheets of clay such as bentonite may be treated with a composition comprising polymeric methyl silicone to advantage. In the production of such sheet materials from bentonite, of ultramicroscopic size are employed, for example particles having a maximum diameter of 3000 A. Angstrom), more specifically from about 500 A. to about 2000 A. Fibers such as glass may be embedded in, or otherwise associated with, these clayey paper-like sheet materials (as more particularly disclosed and claimed in the copending applications of Theodore R. Walters, Serial No. 263,193, filed March 21, 1939, and Serial No. 370,807, filed December 19, 1940, both of which applications are assigned to the same assignee as the present invention), and the composite material treated, specificially coated, with methyl silicone. These silicone-treated bentonite and bentonite-glass fiber sheet materials are especially adapted for high temperature electrically insulating applications.

In addition to their use in the field of insula tion, the methyl silicones of varying form may be ,used as protective coatings, for instance as coatings for glass bulbs and other articles of manufacture which are, or may be, exposed to abnormal heat conditions or to hot flying particles. With or without the addition of pigments such as graphite, they may be used in coating metallic surfaces, for example metal vacuum tubes. The high heat resistance of these silicones makes them especially suitable for such applications.

The silicones of this invention may be used as components of so-called resistance or semi-conducting paints. Such paints, contain controlled amounts of conducting materials such as carbon, silicon carbide, powdered metal, conducting oxides, etc., inorder to impart to the dried paint a particular degree of resistance or semi-con- The methyl s ilicones also may be used as sealing compositions, for instance in making vacuuming a solution of the silicone around a glass-tothereafter baking to remove the solvent and to form a solid polymer, leaks in such joints may be effectively sealed.

In certain cases it may be desirable to copolymerize mixtures of compounds having a particular ratio of methyl groups to silicon in the molecule of each individual compound. This may be accomplished by mixing suitable proportions oi', for example, monoand di-methyl silicon chlorides, hydrolyzing the mixture and dehydrating the resulting product. In other cases the separately hydrolyzed products may be mixed and thereafter dehydrated. However, in such cases the components should be mixed before condensation and polymerization have advanced to the point where the bodies become incompatible. For other applications it may be desirable to polymerize the individual silicones to solid form and then mix and grind the materials together to obtain a composite mass. In these particles of bentonite V resistance to heat and ways compositions havingpropertiee best adapted for a particular application may be obtained. The individual, co-polymeriaed, or mixed so polymers may suitably be incorporated intoother materials to modify the of the latter. For example, they may be compounded with substances such as natural and synthetic rubber; tars, asphalts and pitches, more specific examples of which are wood tars, petroleum asphalts and vegetable pitches; natural resins such as wood rosin, copal, shellac, etc.; synthetic resins such as phenolaldehyde resins, urea-aldehyde resins,

' alkyd resins, cumar resins, 'vinyl resins, esters f acid, etc.; cellulosic materials such as paper, inorganic and organic esters of cellulose such as cellulose nitrate (pyroxylin), cellulose acetate including the triacetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, etc., cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, cases the hard, brittle polymers may be pulverized and used as fillers for substances such as above mentioned. In other cases. as

when the silicone is compatible with the substance with which'it is incorporated, it may be in the form of a liquid or relatively soft polymer of low molecular weight prior to compounding with the substance to be modified.

The low molecular weight polymers herein described also may be dissolved or dispersed in oils, such as linseed oil, Chinawood oil, perilla oil, soya bean oil, etc., alone or mixed with solvents, pigments, plasticizers, driers and other components of coating compositions to yield products which, when applied to a base member and air-dried or baked, have a high degree of heat resistance.

Laminated products may be made by superimposing organic or inorganic fibrous sheet materials coated and impregnated with methyl silicone, and thereafter bonding the sheets together under heat and pressure. Molding compositions and molded articles may be formed from the silicones of this invention. If desired, filling materials such as asbestos, glass fibers, talc, quartz powder, wood flour, etc., may suc h compositions prior to molding. shaped articles are formed from such compositions under heat or under heat and pressure in accordance with practices now widely used in the plastics art.

acrylic and methacrylic In my copending application Serial No. 332,099,

filed April 27, 1940, which application is a continuation-impart of the present application, I have claimed methyl aryl silicones and insulated conductors and other products utilizing the same.

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electrically insulating material of high thermal decomposition, said material comprising essentially a polymeric methyl silicone.

2. An electrically insulating material comprising essentially a polymer having the unit structure 3. A product comprising polymeric methyl silicone having in its molecule an average of from approximately one to approximately two methyl groups for each silicon ato 4. Polymeric methyl silicone having in its molecule an average of from approximately 1.3 to 1.! methyl groups per silicon atom.

benzyl cellulose, etc. In certain' be incorporated into arcane 5. Acomposition of matter comprising a mixtureofpolymerlofmethylsilicone.

6. A liquid coating composition comprising a volatile solvent and partly polymerized, soluble methyl silicone having in its molecule an average of from approximately one to approximately two methyl groups for each silicon atom.

'1. An article of manufacture having a surface covered with an adhering composition comprising essentially an insoluble polymeric methyl silicone wherein the average number of methyl gmupspersiliconatomislessthantwo.

8. An article of manufacture comprising an inorganic sheet material treated with a composition comprising a polymeric methyl silicone.

9.- An article of manufacture comprising a sheet material formed of coherlng particles of bentonite, said sheet material being treated with a composition comprising polymeric methyl silicone.

10. An article of manufacture comprising a mass formed of glass fibers, said mass being coated and at least partly impregnated with a composition comprising polymeric methyl silicone.

11. An article of manufacture comprising asbestos coated and at least partly impregnated with a composition comprising polymeric methyl silicone.

12. An insulated electrical conductor comprising a metallic conductor and insulation thereon comprising a polymeric methyl silicone.

13. An insulated electrical conductor comprising a metallic conductor and insulation thereon comprising polymeric methyl silicone having in its molecule an average of from approximately one to approximately two methyl groups for each silicon atom.

14. An insulated electrical conductor comprising a metallic conductor and insulation thereon comprising a mass of glass ilbers coated and at least partly impregnated with polymeric methyl silicone.

15. The method of preparing new synthetic compositions which comprises hydrolyzing a mixture of methyl silicon halides, said halides containing an average of not exceeding substantially two methyl groups for each silicon atom, and dehydrating the hydrolyzed product.

16. An article having a surface provided with an adhering coating comprising a methyl silicone converted after application to said surface from a soluble, partly polymerized state to an in- ?ligle, substantially completely polymerized 17. A product comprising an insoluble, infusible, polymerized methyl silicone wherein the average number of methyl groups per silicon EUGENE G. ROCHOW. 

